Proposal
by MCTVFan
Summary: Andy comes to an important decision, but struggles with the right time to find out if Sharon is on the same page. After coming up with a plan and setting it in motion, will a case threaten to derail everything? Set some time in the future when their relationship is fully established.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, followed, etc. my other stories. Your support means a lot to me! This entry marks my first multi-chapter story. It's finished and will be four chapters. I'm in the revising stage with the other three, but will be posting them one at a time in the coming days. It takes place some time in the future after Sharon and Andy have celebrated their one year anniversary. As usual, I welcome any and all feedback!

Obviously, I do not own Major Crimes or any of the characters. That honor belongs to James Duff and co. I just enjoy writing about them.

* * *

Chapter One

It had been a couple of weeks of hard cases. Some were difficult to solve and had everyone frustrated while others were just difficult on everyone emotionally. The case load had taken it toll, so everyone was anxious to finish up the last of the paperwork backlog and get away for the weekend. And no one wanted to think about getting called in on a case, so those thoughts were banished from the murder room.

Just as things were wrapping up, Sharon heard a distinctive knock on her open office door. "Come in," she said never looking up from her file.

"Hey," Andy started. "Just checking to see if you're still feeling up for dinner tomorrow night?" A lack of together time had been another negative side effect of the recent string of unpleasant cases, so Andy had a romantic night planned at a very nice restaurant.

"Are you serious? Going out to dinner with you sounds positively decadent after the couple of weeks we've had," she beamed. "Plus, you mentioned something about 'romantic' restaurant and 'night out', and honestly, I'm counting the hours".

"Good," he said and then moved closer into her office. "Because I'm counting the hours, too. I can't wait to be alone with you outside of this building," he said quietly.

"Hmm... See, decadent," she cooed. They both held each other's gaze until their big goofy smiles became too much.

"OK, good. I'll pick you up at 6. Any chance we can turn off our phones just for the evening?" Andy asked.

"Now that would be nice. I wish," she added wistfully.

"Yeah, I know. Go home. Get some sleep. You deserve it, Sharon, after this last case. Besides, I want you well rested for our big night," he said winking at her. Sharon merely rolled her eyes.

"OK, I'll see you tomorrow night, Andy," she said warmly. "Can't wait".

And with that he was gone. Sharon really was exhausted and looking forward to getting home and relaxing. Andy was right, she did need a good night's sleep. She resolved to quickly finish up and head out a little earlier than usual.

Andy got back to his desk and sank down in his chair and let out a shaky breath. Yup, tomorrow night was going to be a big night indeed.

* * *

 _Six Months Earlier_

It was just an ordinary Thursday, and Andy had volunteered to make the coffee run. He walked the same route he always did and passed the same stores as usual. Except something was different. Something got his attention as he passed the small mom-and-pop jewelry store two doors down from the coffee shop. There was something in the small display window that caught his eye and wouldn't let it go. It's not like he had been actively looking for a ring for Sharon or even thinking about asking her to marry him. Sure, he thought about spending the rest of his life with her and making her his wife, but he hadn't actually thought about asking her mainly out of fear of ruining the good thing they had. But that timeless ring with the emerald cut diamond glaring at him had him rethinking that fear. Or maybe it just had him feeling a bit impulsive, because suddenly, he entered the store.

As he passed through the entry, he heard the small bell ring above the door. He approached the counter, and an older gentleman with kind eyes and reading glasses perched on his nose appeared from a door behind the counter.

"Hello, there. What can I help you with today?"

"I'm not really sure what I'm doing here to be honest," Andy replied. "But, uhhh... can I see the ring in the front window?"

"Caught your eye, huh?" The older man said knowingly. "She is a beauty".

"Yeah, well, so is the woman it reminds me of," Andy answered rubbing the spot behind his neck. The man had made his way to the window and was working on getting the ring out of the display.

"So there is a reason you came in here. I mean, you're not just here to gawk at pricey diamond rings," the man said laughing as he made his way back to the counter.

"Pricey?"

"Well, you didn't think a ring this exquisite would be on the discount rack, did you?" The man replied while handing the ring to Andy. Andy held it in his hand and knew instantly, this ring was made for Sharon. But after glancing at the price, reality set in. Were they at a place in their relationship where marriage was even a discussion let alone a decision? Andy didn't think so, but he hoped they would be some day. And when that day came, he wanted Sharon to have this ring. It was stunning, unique, classy, timeless, modern, and absolutely perfect. In other words, it was Sharon. His Sharon.

The man noticed Andy's hesitation and wondered what exactly was running through the other man's head.

"If it's the price that's holding you back, we can always switch out the diamond for a smaller, less expensive one. We can even give you one with a different cut. That would bring down the price as well," he offered.

Andy shook is head. "It's not the price, well it is a little bit. OK, a lot. But the ring is perfect as it is because it reminds me of her. I'm just not sure we're ready," Andy explained.

"Are _you_?" Andy gave him a questioning look. "That is, is she the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with?" The man asked helpfully.

"Yes, absolutely," Andy answered without hesitation.

"Then I'll tell you what. We don't really do 'payment plans' because we're just too small for that undertaking. But, I'd be willing to put that ring aside for you. You come in whenever you can and pay whatever you're able. Once you have paid off the entire ring - interest free - it's yours," The man explained. "This should solve both of your problems. You pay when you can and it gives you time to make sure your girlfriend is on the same page".

Andy was surprised at the offer. After all, he was simply out making a coffee run and now he was seriously considering buying an engagement ring. Coffee! Yikes, he needed to get the coffee and get back before Provenza had a heart attack or people got suspicious. He had to make a decision. Go with his heart and make an impulsive, and possibly wrong, decision or go with his head and wait until he and Sharon were both there.

"You got yourself a deal," Andy said shaking the other man's hand.

* * *

That was six months and eight days ago, and Andy made his final payment during his last coffee run almost two weeks ago. Now, he was beginning to wonder if, perhaps, he should have listened to his head instead. He knew what he wanted and that was to spend the rest of his life with Sharon. But what if Sharon didn't want to get married again? They hadn't really talked about it other than general platitudes about how much they love each other and wanting this relationship to last. Maybe tomorrow night was a bad idea. Maybe he should put that ring away in a drawer and wait until he was absolutely sure. But could anyone ever be sure? After all, life is full of uncertainties. In the middle of all of them was some very reassuring clarity, though: His unyielding love for the woman sitting just on the other side of those windows.

Yup, tomorrow was going to be a big night.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all of your reviews and support for the first chapter! Here's the next one.

As usual, I do not own Major Crimes or any of the characters. That honor belongs to James Duff and co. I just enjoy writing about them.

* * *

Chapter Two

Sharon had decided that tonight's date required a new dress. Andy had seen most of her other ones, so she wanted something special. Of course, this lead to an afternoon of shopping before settling on the perfect dress. Now, standing in front of her mirror, she was sure that she had chosen wisely. The dress had a nude liner that hugged her every curve and a black see-thru mesh outer layer that hugged her almost as tightly, but also managed to provide a small bit of coverage over any imperfections. It was long sleeves and fell just above her knees, but had a lower neckline that showed off her cleavage. She paired it with some strappy black heels. Her hair fell in soft waves around her face, and her make-up accentuated her beautiful features. As she put on her earrings, she heard a knock at the door.

"Rusty..."

"Yeah," he interrupted. "I know. Let your boyfriend in." Rusty set his laptop on the coffee table and got up from the couch to make his way over to the door. He opened it and found Andy standing there with a bouquet of what he believed to be lilies.

"Hey, Kid," Andy greeted him.

"Hey, Andy. Come on in. Sharon should be ready in a minute," Rusty moved aside to let him in and then closed the door behind him. Something seemed different about Andy. Rusty couldn't quite put his finger on it. The more he watched him, the more he realized that he seemed almost... _Nervous_? That was odd. Andy was rarely nervous and hadn't been with Sharon since they started dating. What could have Andy all nervous? Rusty's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of his mother.

Sharon came down the hall, and Andy turned in her direction. He froze the moment he laid eyes on her. She was always beautiful, but good lord, she was extra beautiful tonight. Andy allowed his eyes to travel up her perfect, toned legs to the enticing curves of her hips and waist and then to her cleavage. And if he spent some extra time on that particular part of her, well, who in their right mind could blame him? His eyes traveled to her red, kissable lips and then caught her warm, green eyes. God, she was beautiful! Andy wasn't sure if he could speak or breathe at this point. To her credit, Sharon seemed to sense his state of incoherence, and gave him a shy smile before stepping towards him.

"Andy, are those for me?" She asked gently. Andy wasn't exactly sure what she was referring to, and the confusion must have shown on his face because she started to giggle.

"The flowers. Are they for me?" She tried again with a laugh. Realization seemed to finally dawn on Andy and he found his voice.

"Oh, yeah, flowers. Here," he said handing her the bouquet. He inwardly cursed himself for sounding like such an idiot. He really needed to regain his composure if he was going to be able to pull off what he had planned for the evening.

"They're beautiful! Thank you," Sharon said with genuine gratitude in her voice. She admired the flowers in her hands before beginning to turn towards her kitchen to get them in water.

"I got them. You guys go ahead and go before you're late for your reservation. I know how you hate that, Mom," Rusty offered. Sharon handed him the flowers and turned back towards Andy. Rusty noticed that Andy seemed to have regained most of his composure and was simply smiling at Sharon. Ugh, this "old people in love" thing was still a little nauseating. Luckily, Andy was a good guy and Sharon was happy. That's all Rusty really cared about anyway.

"Are we ready to go, then?" Andy asked.

"Yes, we should go. Like Rusty said, we don't want to be late," Sharon said with a smile. "Rusty, if you need anything, I have my cell phone".

"Yup, but I'll be fine. Gus and I are going to get dinner and then catch a movie. You guys have a nice time," he answered while walking towards the kitchen with the flowers.

"Ok, have a nice evening with Gus," Sharon called back.

After saying their goodbyes, Sharon and Andy headed out into the hall. She closed and locked the door behind them while Andy waited by her side. As soon as she was finished, Andy took her hand in his and they walked towards the elevator. While they waited for it, Andy couldn't help but stare at Sharon. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered softly.

"You are so beautiful. And this dress... Well, let's just say you took my breath away and I'm still struggling to find it".

Sharon's eyes fluttered close and her body was flooded with heat. His warm breath on her neck and his charged words had her heart beating faster and her skin feeling flushed. Luckily, the elevator door opened and they both stepped inside giving her time to collect herself. It seemed they both needed a moment because the elevator ride was silent. The quiet allowed Andy to think about the real reason for their night out, and a wave of nerves traveled through him. He tried to dismiss them, but couldn't help padding his jacket pocket to feel the small velvet box inside. No, there was no dismissing these nerves.

* * *

Dinner was surprisingly uneventful. Andy seemed to forget his hesitations for a little while. He took Sharon to a small, romantic Italian restaurant right on the beach. From their table, they watched the sun set over the ocean, talked about their kids, shared many laughs, and held hands across the white linen table cloth. The food was to die for, and the company even better. It was a perfect night, but it wasn't over.

As they made their way out of the restaurant, Andy noticed the full moon reflecting off the water and inwardly smiled about his good luck. The light it cast was perfect for walking on the beach. Andy steered Sharon in that direction and padded his jacket pocket one more time for good measure.

"It's a beautiful night," Sharon said staring out towards the water.

"It'd be a shame to waste it. How about taking a walk on the beach?" Andy asked trying to sound casual. She nodded and they walked over to the boardwalk. Sharon toed out of her heels and picked them up while Andy decided to keep his shoes on for now. As they walked hand in hand, Sharon couldn't help but notice how good Andy looked. He always dressed well and there was no denying that he was extremely handsome. Maybe it was the suit or the moonlight, but Sharon was finding it hard to keep her eyes off him. She wasn't the only one, though, as Andy was having the same problem keeping his off of her.

"I love the beach at night," Sharon said in a low, wistful voice. "It's so peaceful".

Andy let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders pulling her close. They made small talk as they walked at a lazy pace along the water. Once they had gotten a little ways away from the prying eyes of the crowded restaurant, Andy stopped and stood in front of Sharon facing her. He took both of her hands in his and looked down at the sand between them.

Sharon was a little confused. She wasn't sure why they had stopped, but she did enjoy the feel of her hands in his. She couldn't see his face very well, but he seemed... _Nervous_?

"Andy?" He looked up at her and saw the concern in her eyes. He realized it was now or never.

"Sharon..." He began when suddenly a shrill ring startled then both. What in the world?

"I think that's your phone, Andy" Andy rolled his eyes heavenward and sighed.

"You have to be kidding me," he complained. He let go of Sharon's hands and reached for his phone in his jacket pocket. He glanced at the caller ID and cursed under his breath before answering the offending object.

"This better be good, Provenza!" He barked. Sharon watched slightly amused.

"Good?! Since when is murder good? Especially a murder on a Saturday night," the other lieutenant answered sarcastically.

"Just get to the point," Andy replied.

"Well, Mr. Sunshine, it seems someone decided to off an assistant to the mayor, and Taylor has tasked us with cleaning it up. He wants it wrapped up before morning, so.."

"Just text me the address," Andy replied curtly. He was about to hang up when he heard his partner's voice again.

"It gets worse. Or should I just skip that part and let you get blindsided when you arrive?" Provenza asked annoyed. When he received no reply, he continued. "The assistant was out with an officer from traffic at the time and he shot our suspect. The guy got away, but..."

"FID is involved," Andy let out a groan. He rubbed his hand over his face and once again rolled his eyes. "Alright, I'll be right there."

"Should I call the Captain or do you want the honor?" Provenza teased.

"Don't bother. She's right here. I'll fill her in on the way," Andy explained. They both hung up and Andy turned to Sharon. God, she was beautiful, and he was so close to finding out if she wanted to be with him for the rest of their lives. Stupid murder!

"I take it we have to cut our evening short?" She asked matter-of-factly, but Andy detected the disappointment in her voice.

"Yeah, some idiot killed 'an assistant to the mayor' while she was on a date with some kid from traffic," Andy explained as they walked back to his car. "And just to add insult to injury, the kid shot the suspect, who by the way, still managed to get away. So now, we've got to deal with Taylor, the mayor, the idiots in traffic, a missing suspect, and FID".

When they reached his car, Andy opened the door for Sharon and closed it once she was safely inside. As he walked around his car to his side, he rolled his eyes for good measure and padded his jacket pocket. "Best laid plans..." He mumbled while thinking about the long night they had ahead of them. It certainly wasn't the one he had planned for tonight.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for all your kind words and support! Here's the next chapter. As always, I welcome any and all feedback.

Again, I do not own Major Crimes or any of these fabulous characters. That honor belongs to James Duff and co. I just enjoy writing about them.

* * *

Chapter Three

There was no time to go home and change before heading to the crime scene. As Sharon and Andy pulled up, she realized that she was a bit overdressed (or perhaps, underdressed as she took in her attire). Just when she thought she was going to have to suck it up and go out there tight dress and all, Andy noticed her hesitation and offered his suit jacket. She gladly accepted it and was sure to close all of the buttons. It was definitely too big and it didn't cover everything, but it was better than nothing.

Once they were out of the car, Sharon headed over to their victim and Sanchez while Andy made his way over to Sykes and Tao.

"Good evening, Captain. Sorry to have interrupted your evening," Julio said apologetically after taking in her appearance.

"It's not your fault, Julio," Sharon said nonchalantly. "What do we have?"

"Well, ma'am, our victim, 28-year old Kristen Welham, was out with her boyfriend when someone approached them and stabbed her. She bled out before the paramedics could get here according to Kendall"

"And our boyfriend witness?" Sharon asked

"An Officer Karn from Traffic," Lt. Tao added as he joined them. "Over there," he pointed in the direction of a man sitting off by himself with his shoulders slumped and a distraught look on his face. "Waiting for FID so he can give his statement. He didn't say much other than he fired off several shots at the suspect and believes he hit him in the arm".

"Have we alerted all the hospitals in the area?" She asked.

"Yes and every urgent care and treatment center as well," Chief Taylor said while approaching the group. Sharon nodded.

"I really need to talk to our witness," Sharon said while staring in his direction.

"Which is why I'm hoping your good will with FID with lead to cooperation between the two divisions, Captain," Chief Taylor added.

"So do I, Chief. So do I," Sharon replied.

From a few feet away, Provenza stood watching the scene unfold. He was staring at his captain intently. Specifically, he was trying to stare at her left hand. He had an idea about why Flynn was so angry about getting called out tonight. It was an idea that was planted the other day when the usually confident man was acting unsure and edgy about this weekend. And then there were those long coffee runs. Yup, that idea was definitely starting to take root. Unfortunately, he was too far away from his target to make out her left hand let alone whether there was a new piece of jewelry adorning it. Just then FID arrived bringing Provenza out of his reverie.

Meanwhile, Sharon continued to examine the scene and make her usual quiet observations. Provenza approached her with extra annoyance in his step.

"Captain, our friends from FID are here," Provenza informed her. As he got close to her, he once again attempted to see her left hand, but she had it in the pocket of, what had to be, Flynn's coat. She removed her hand from the pocket to begin gesturing as she spoke.

"Ok, we're going to need to... Lieutenant?" Sharon paused when she noticed that her second in command seemed to be moving his eyes along with her hand. She stared at him with a confused glare.

"Oh, yes, Captain. Continue," he replied.

"As I was saying, we need to back everyone up so we can give FID... Ok, what _is_ it, Lieutenant?" Sharon implored this time giving him a Darth Raydor glare. It seemed her lieutenant was bent on giving her a hard time. Either that or her gestures were more mesmerizing than she realized.

"Nothing, Captain. I'm listening," Provenza answered as if he had no idea to what she was referring. For her part, Sharon crossed both of her arms in front of her and safely tucked her hands under her arms before continuing. She began again, this time a bit more annoyed.

"Just make sure everyone stays back and we maintain the perimeter for FID," she finished. Provenza rolled his eyes. "If you want them to cooperate with us, Lieutenant, then we need to cooperate with them. Maintaining their perimeter, _without_ the eye rolls and sarcastic comments, will go a long way to establish the cooperation we all need to wrap this case up tonight".

Provenza simply gave a defeated nodded and she walked off to speak with whomever was in charge from FID. He wasn't sure how tonight was going to turn out, but he did figure out that his captain's left hand did not contain a shiny new diamond. No wonder Flynn was so pissed.

* * *

Once FID took over, most of Major Crimes headed back to the murder room. Sharon stayed behind to sit-in on FID's interview with the witness. It proved to be quite fruitful as their traffic cop was able to provide a detailed description of their suspect. Once they were done, she too headed back to the station. Once back in her office, she carefully removed Andy's jacket and sunk into her chair. She put her head back and closed her eyes hoping that the gun shot wound and the description would be enough to solve this case quickly.

It turned out, several hours later, that it was enough. Their suspect, the victim's ex-boyfriend, had gone to an urgent care center that alerted the LAPD. Patrol picked him up right as the doctor was finishing the last stitches. Once they got him in an interview room, Andy and Provenza were able to get the confession. Apparently, the ex boyfriend was jealous of the new boyfriend and had a history of violence. If he couldn't have her, no one could. Meanwhile, Sharon felt confident that the officer from traffic would be cleared. After the confession, there was minimal paperwork, so everyone finished up quickly and started heading home.

Sharon grabbed Andy's jacket and her small purse and went to find Andy. She was ready to go home as well. She found him making his way back from the break room holding a cup of coffee.

"Thought maybe you could use this," he offered.

"Thank you, but I think I'll just go home and fall into bed. Taylor promised that we're off the hook the rest of the weekend," she said tiredly.

"Sounds good to me," Andy chucked the disposable cup into the trash can and helped Sharon into his coat. They made their way to his car in silence both processing the evening. The ride to Sharon's condo was quiet as well. They briefly discussed the case and how lucky they were that it turned out to be pretty cut and dry.

Once they got to Sharon's condo, Andy walked her up to her door. She turned to look at him after unlocking it.

"I'm sorry about tonight, Andy. I really did have a great time before we got called away," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, me too," he agreed. He leaned in and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. When their lips parted, he kept her close. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she whispered back before bringing her lips to his for one final kiss. When it was over, they said their goodnights and she went into her condo. She felt like collapsing right there on her couch. Her room was all the way down the hall and that just felt too far away. She sighed.

She undid the buttons on her jacket, and that's when she realized that it wasn't her jacket. It was _Andy's_. Oh well, she thought. She could give it back to him tomorrow if she saw him or Monday if she didn't. She removed the coat, and swung it over to her coat rack. She must have swung it a bit too hard because she heard something hit her floor with a thud.

Meanwhile, Andy was exiting her parking garage when it suddenly dawned on him. Sharon still had his jacket. And his jacket still had the ring! Panic came over him. He made a U-turn back into her garage and raced to the nearest parking spot.

Sharon bent over to pick up the object. As she got closer, she realized it was a small box. A small black velvet box. It couldn't be, right? _Oh god!_ She picked it up and put it on her coffee table. She stood there, arms crossed, and stared at the box. She pursed her lips once, twice and then moved closer to it. She refused to open it. If Andy wanted her to know what was inside, he would have given it to her. She didn't even know if it was for her. That was crazy, it was probably for her. And maybe he _had_ tried to give it to her. Wasn't he about to say something when his phone rang? Sharon's stomach was in knots. She tried to come up with alternative explanations. She didn't want to jump to conclusions. She was lost in her thoughts and... _Excitement? Fear?_

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. Considering her discovery and the ungodly hour, there was only one person who could be on the other side of that door. She took a deep breath and pulled it open.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you all again for your support with this story and my others. I know I left you with a suspenseful cliffhanger, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. This is the final chapter, and I have really enjoyed going along on this little proposal journey with these wonderful characters!

As usual, I do not own Major Crimes or any of the fabulous characters. That honor belongs to James Duff and co. I just enjoy writing about them.

* * *

Chapter Four

The first thing Andy noticed when the door opened was the small black box on her coffee table. He had hoped that she hadn't found it and he could simply knock on her door and retrieve his jacket. No such luck. When he pulled his focus back to Sharon, he saw uncertainty on her face and in her eyes. If she had seemed tired earlier, she was certainly alert now. She didn't say a word, but moved aside for him to enter her condo.

"I... Uh... Forgot my jacket," Andy said as a way of breaking the ice. Sharon closed the door and followed him into her condo. They both stopped short of the coffee table housing the object they were nervously dancing around.

"I'm sorry. I forgot to give it back," she started and then she briefly closed her eyes and let out a small sigh. "Andy, I didn't mean to pry, but when I went to hang it up, that box fell out," she explained. He was staring at her with concern written all over his face.

"I didn't open it. I figured if you wanted me to know what was in it, you would have shown me yourself," she quickly added. Andy thought he detected the same nervousness in her voice that was flowing through his body. She may not have opened it, but Andy guessed she knew exactly what was inside.

"Look, Sharon, I do want you to know what's inside that box, and I planned on showing you tonight, but then everything went to hell at the worse possible time," he explained. She remained quiet, so he took a few steps in her direction and took her hand in his. He knew the jig was up and he was going to have to do this now despite the less-than-ideal circumstances.

"This isn't how I wanted to do this, but... Uh... Can we go out on your balcony at least?" He asked nervously. Sharon kept her gaze down and her hair was obscuring his view of her face making it impossible to know what she was thinking or feeling. When she finally looked up at him, she seemed overcome, but Andy wasn't sure with which emotion.

"It doesn't matter where we go or how you planned to do this. My answer is the same," she said quietly, and Andy could hear all the emotion behind her statement. With that, he took her other hand in his, so he was holding both and facing her. He looked her right in her eyes. Sharon swallowed the lump in her throat and gave a small smile.

"Sharon, I never thought that I would fall in love with the person who sent me to sensitivity training," Andy began with a smile and noticed that she gave a smile back. He could see the tears starting to form in her eyes. "But I did. I fell hard. And for some reason I'll never understand, you fell in love with me, too. We've built this amazing relationship from friendship and love and respect and," Andy paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. Sharon just held his gaze. Her eyes were warm and inviting and it gave him the courage to continue. "Just when I think that I can't love you any more, something happens and I do. I know I'm difficult and I can make your life hell sometimes, but I promise to keep it at a minimum because I would do anything for you. I love you more than I knew I was capable of, and I want to spend the rest of my life beside you," he paused to lean over and pick up the small velvet box.

With the box in hand, Andy got down on one knee and looked up at Sharon. "Sharon, will you marry me?"

Sharon was surprised by the amount of emotions that flooded her all at once. She had assumed that this was coming the moment that box hit her hardwood floor, and yet, the actual moment was so beautiful and poignant and perfect that she wasn't sure how to push past it and give him an answer. She forced herself from her thoughts and saw Andy kneeling in front of her. The man she loved with all of her heart wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. It was exactly what she wanted, too. She let the emotions wash over her, and then there was clarity and calm. She held his gaze and gave a small, confident smile.

"Yes, Andy. I will marry you," she said finally, voice thick with emotion and eyes full of unshed tears. He stood up and pulled her into his arms so fast she was sure the room was spinning. They held each other as close as they possibly could for several minutes. They gently swayed and the dam on Sharon's tears finally broke. Andy buried his face in her hair and whispered how much he loved her and how happy she just made him. Once they broke apart, they both realized that Andy was still holding the ring box.

"Oh, um, this is for you," he said handing her the box with his trademark smile. She opened it and gasped at the absolutely stunning ring inside. It was beautiful. Seeing it brought fresh tears to her eyes.

"Will you put it on me?" She asked quietly handing him the ring and placing the box back onto the coffee table.

"Of course," he answered. He proceeded to place the ring on her left ring finger and slide it down. It wasn't a perfect fit, but it would certainly do until they could get it properly sized. Sharon stared at her hand in a daze.

"It's beautiful, Andy. I absolutely love it," she beamed.

"When I saw it, I knew it was made for you. It looks even better on you, though," he said with a smile. Sharon tore her eyes away from the ring and looked up at Andy.

"I love you," she said thickly and proceeded to bring her lips to his. When they met, every emotion they were both feeling was poured into the kiss. It quickly turned passionate, and Andy couldn't stop himself from pulling her impossibly closer. He ran his hands up and down her body as she tangled hers in his hair. When the need for air became too much, he trailed his lips along her jaw and down her neck. He finally got to the exposed skin that had been driving him mad all night. His hands seemed to move on their own accord as they reached the same destination as his lips. He palmed her breasts and ran his lips along her delicate skin. Sharon moaned, and they both realized that they needed to move things somewhere a bit more private.

As they made it down the hallway to Sharon's room, their lips continued to meet and their hands continued to explore. Somehow, they made it to her room and closed the door before clothes were shed.

* * *

The next morning, Sharon awoke to a small bright light shining in her eyes. She slowly opened them allowing her to adjust to the brightness. Once her eyes were fully open, she saw what was causing the offending light and the realization brought a goofy smile to her face. There on her left hand was the beautiful diamond ring Andy gave her last night, and it was sparkling with the morning sun. And underneath the hand that was wearing it was the real reason for her happiness.

A very naked Andy Flynn was still asleep with an equally naked Sharon strewn across his chest. Her left hand rested comfortably on his heart and her leg across his lower half. In that moment, everything was perfect and Sharon wondered why she ever feared any of this all those months ago when they were teetering on the edge of friendship and something more. Things might have moved in an unexpected direction, but it was certainly the right one and she was elated.

Andy began to stir beneath her and she couldn't help but smile. He slowly opened his eyes and gave her a warm smile in return. They held each other's gaze for a moment before they both moved in and closed the gap. Their lips began a coordinated dance while their tongues caressed and explored. After enjoying the passionate morning kiss, Andy placed her diamond-clad hand in his and took in her naked form and mussed hair. She truly was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"You know what's better than waking up to your sexy, naked girlfriend on top of you?" He asked with a mischievous smile. She shook her head and gave him a matching smile. "Waking up and realizing even though your crazy proposal scheme might have had a few bumps along the way, somehow, that beautiful, sexy girlfriend is now your fiancée".

And with that, they were lost to each other for the morning and the rest of their lives.

The End


End file.
